1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a copying apparatus for executing a copy job, a printer for executing a print job, a facsimile apparatus or a compound apparatus thereof, having at least two sheet discharge locations and capable of designating such discharge location.
2. Related Background Art
In the image forming apparatus, it is made possible, by employing an image memory device such as a hard disk serving as an image server, to execute the image processing operation for plural images by a single image input operation, instead of the plural image input operations corresponding to the number of images as required in the prior image forming apparatus. Such function allows to promptly release the image input process, thereby shortening the user binding time required for example for recovering the bundle of the original documents or for transferring the originals on the network, and to execute the printing jobs of a larger number in more efficient manner, in combination with the above-mentioned image process scheduling function.
Also the image forming apparatus with the image memory device is increasingly equipped, utilizing the feature capable of producing plural copies by a single image input process, with a sheet discharge device of finisher type, for producing the output of plural copies, capable of producing the output sheet bundle at a time rather than a sheet discharge device of sorter type which generates the plural copies at the same time whereby the completion of the final output sheet bundle takes a longer time.
Among such sheet discharge devices of finisher type, there is known a device provided with plural discharged sheet stacking portions, constituting the discharged sheet stacking means, and capable of utilizing such stacking portions according to the type or purpose of the job and selecting the discharged sheet stacking portions for each job type or for each job, in order enable easy access when the plural users fetch the output sheet bundles after the sheet output operation.
Among such sheet discharge devices of finisher type having the plural discharged sheet stacking portions, however, some devices can only discharge the sheet of a transparent material (hereinafter called xe2x80x9cmaterialxe2x80x9d) such as an overhead projection sheet (hereinafter called OHP sheet) onto a predetermined discharged sheet stacking portion, because of the difference in the path configuration to each discharged sheet stacking portion or the difference in the sensor configuration.
Also a sheet of special size such as of free size is often dischargeable only to a certain discharged sheet stacking portion.
Further, in execution of a tab mixed mode or the like for producing an output bundle containing tab sheets, the tab sheets are used in a set of predetermined number in each bundle (for example 5 sheets as a set in case of 6-tab sheets). In such tab mixed mode, for example if there are set three tab sheet inserting positions and if it is desired to discharge the remaining two tab sheets to another sheet stacking portion, such discharge may not be possible because of the positional configuration in relation to post-processing units such as the stapler.
In consideration of the foregoing, the object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus capable, in case the sheet discharge is not possible to the discharged sheet stacking means designated for each job according to the material, sheet size or operation mode, of invalidating such discharged sheet stacking means and discharging the sheets without interrupting the process, thereby executing the job without reducing the throughput of the entire system.
The above-mentioned object can be attained, according to the present invention, by an image forming apparatus comprising image forming means for forming an image on a sheet, plural discharged sheet stacking means for stacking the sheet on which the image is formed by the image forming means, and control means capable of selecting the discharged sheet stacking means according to an image forming job of the image forming means and also capable of selecting the discharged sheet stacking means based on the material information of the sheet, wherein the control means is adapted to select the discharged sheet stacking means based on the material of the sheet in preference to the image forming job.
The image forming job may be a stapling job, a storing job or a non-stapling and non-sorting job.
According to the present invention, the image forming apparatus further comprises informing means for informing a fact that the discharged sheet stacking means is selected based on the material of the sheet in preference to the image forming job.
According to the present invention, there is also provided an image forming apparatus comprising plural image data input means for entering image data, image forming means for forming an image on a sheet based on the image data, plural discharged sheet stacking means for stacking the sheet on which the image is formed by the image forming means, and control means capable of selecting the discharged sheet stacking means corresponding to each image data input means and also capable of selecting the discharged sheet stacking means based on the material information of the sheet, wherein the control means is adapted to select the discharged sheet stacking means based on the material of the sheet in preference to the kind of the image data input means.
According to the present invention, the image forming apparatus further comprises informing means for informing a fact that the discharged sheet stacking means is selected based on the material of the sheet in preference to the image data input means.
According to the present invention, the image data input means can be a telephone line, an external computer or a reader portion.
Also in the image forming apparatus of the present invention, the sheet can be a sheet for an overhead projector.
Also according to the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus comprising image forming means for forming an image on a sheet, plural discharged sheet stacking means for stacking the sheet on which the image is formed by the image forming means, and control means capable of selecting the discharged sheet stacking means according to an image forming job of the image forming means and also capable of selecting the discharged sheet stacking means based on the size information of the sheet, wherein the control means is adapted to select the discharged sheet stacking means based on the size information of the sheet in preference to the image forming job.
According to the present invention, the image forming apparatus further comprises informing means for informing a fact that the discharged sheet stacking means is selected based on the size information of the sheet in preference to the image forming job.
The size information of the sheet may include information that the sheet is free size.
According to the present invention, there is also provided an image forming apparatus comprising plural image data input means for entering image data, image forming means for forming an image on a sheet based on the image data, plural discharged sheet stacking means for stacking the sheet on which the image is formed by the image forming means, and control means capable of selecting the discharged sheet stacking means corresponding to each image data input means and also capable of selecting the discharged sheet stacking means based on the size information of the sheet, wherein the control means is adapted to select the discharged sheet stacking means based on the size information of the sheet in preference to the kind of the image data input means.
According to the present invention, the image data input means can be a telephone line, an external computer or a reader portion.
According to the present invention, the image forming apparatus further comprises informing means for informing a fact that the discharged sheet stacking means is selected based on the size information of the sheet in preference to the image data input means.
Also in the image forming apparatus of the present invention, the sheet can be a sheet for a free size.
Also according to the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus comprising image forming means for forming an image on a sheet, plural discharged sheet stacking means for stacking the sheet on which the image is formed by the image forming means, image forming mode setting means for setting an image forming mode relating to the image forming means, and control means capable of selecting the discharged sheet stacking means according to an image forming job of the image forming means and also capable of selecting the discharged sheet stacking means based on the image forming mode set by the image forming mode setting means, wherein the control means is adapted to select the discharged sheet stacking means based on the image forming mode in preference to the image forming job.
According to the present invention, the image forming apparatus further comprises informing means for informing a fact that the discharged sheet stacking means is selected based on the image forming mode in preference to the image forming job.
According to the present invention, there is also provided an image forming apparatus comprising plural image data input means for entering image data, image forming means for forming an image on a sheet based on the image data, plural discharged sheet stacking means for stacking the sheet on which the image is formed by the image forming means, image forming mode setting means for setting an image forming mode, and control means capable of selecting the discharged sheet stacking means corresponding to each image data input means and also capable of selecting the discharged sheet stacking means based on the image forming mode, wherein the control means is adapted to select the discharged sheet stacking means based on the image forming mode in preference to the kind of the image data input means.
According to the present invention, the image forming apparatus further comprises informing means for informing a fact that the discharged sheet stacking means is selected based on the image forming mode in preference to the kind of the image data input means.
In the image forming apparatus of the present invention, an image forming mode set by the image forming mode setting means is a tab sheet insertion mode for generating a series of a sheet bundle containing tab sheets.
In the image forming apparatus of the present invention, the plural discharged sheet stacking means include a first tray for stacking sheet bundles stapled by stapling means and a second tray for stacking unstapled sheets, wherein the first and second trays are mutually positioned above and below, and the second tray can be placed in a position for receiving the unstapled sheets when the first tray is in a position for receiving the stapled sheets, and the image forming mode includes a tab mode for inserting tab sheets, in which the first and second trays are preferentially positioned as described above in the tab mode and the surplus tab sheet is discharged to the second tray.
In the image forming apparatus of the present invention, the plural discharged sheet stacking means include a first tray for stacking sheet bundles stapled by stapling means and a second tray for stacking unstapled sheets, wherein the first and second trays are mutually positioned above and below so as to correspond to respective discharge exits, and the first tray is adapted to receive the stapled sheets corresponding to a first discharge exit while the second tray is adapted to received unstapled sheets corresponding to a second discharge exit or stapled sheets corresponding to the first discharge exit.
In the image forming apparatus of the present invention, the second tray is adapted, when the first tray is full, to move to the first discharge exit and to receive the stapled sheets.
In the image forming apparatus of the present invention, the first discharge exit is positioned below while the second discharge exit is positioned thereabove, and a conveying path leading to the first discharge exit is provided therein with a stapling tray and stapling means and is curved, while a conveying path leading to the second discharge exit is substantially straight.
The image forming apparatus of the present invention, being adapted to select the discharge sheet stacking means based on the material of the sheet in preference to the image forming job, is capable of invalidating the designation of the sheet stacking means in case the sheet cannot be discharged to the sheet stacking means corresponding to the job according to the material mode, thereby achieving sheet discharge without interruption and executing the job without sacrificing the throughput of the entire system.
The image forming apparatus of the present invention, being provided with the informing means, is capable of informing the user of a fact that the discharged sheet stacking means is not as designated, thereby preventing confusion in the work.
The image forming apparatus of the present invention, being adapted to select the discharged sheet stacking means based on the material of the sheet in preference to the image data input means, is capable of invalidating the designation of the sheet stacking means in case the sheet cannot be discharged to the sheet stacking means corresponding to the job according to the material mode, thereby achieving sheet discharge without interruption and executing the job without sacrificing the throughput of the entire system.
The image forming apparatus of the present invention, being adapted to select the discharge sheet stacking means based on the sheet size in preference to the image forming job, is capable of invalidating the designation of the sheet stacking means in case the sheet cannot be discharged to the sheet stacking means corresponding to the job according to the size mode, thereby achieving sheet discharge without interruption and executing the job without sacrificing the throughput of the entire system.
The image forming apparatus of the present invention, being adapted to select the discharged sheet stacking means based on the sheet size in preference to the image data input means, is capable of invalidating the designation of the sheet stacking means in case the sheet cannot be discharged to the sheet stacking means corresponding to the job according to the size mode, thereby achieving sheet discharge without interruption and executing the job without sacrificing the throughput of the entire system.
The image forming apparatus of the present invention, being adapted to select the discharged sheet stacking means based on the image forming mode in preference to the image forming job, is capable of invalidating the designation of the sheet stacking means in case the sheet cannot be discharged to the sheet stacking means corresponding to the job according to the material mode, thereby achieving sheet discharge without interruption and executing the job without sacrificing the throughput of the entire system.
The image forming apparatus of the present invention, being adapted to select the discharge sheet stacking means based on the image forming mode in preference to the image data input means, is capable of invalidating the designation of the sheet stacking means in case the sheet cannot be discharged to the sheet stacking means corresponding to the job according to the material mode, thereby achieving sheet discharge without interruption and executing the job without sacrificing the throughput of the entire system.